At half-past ten the roll-call of those who were to leave began.  Police agents stationed themselves at a table between two candles in a parlor at the foot of the stairs, and the Representatives were summoned two by two.  The Representatives agreed not to answer to their names, and to reply to each name which should be called out, “He is not here.”  But those “Burgraves” who had accepted the hospitality of Colonel Feray considered such petty resistance unworthy of them, and answered to the calling out of their names.  This drew the others after them.  Everybody answered.  Amongst the Legitimists some serio-comic scenes were enacted.  They who alone were not threatened insisted on believing that they were in danger.  They would not let one of their orators go.  They embraced him, and held him back, almost with tears, crying out, “Do not go away!  Do you know where they are taking you?  Think of the trenches of Vincennes!”

The Representatives, having been summoned two by two, as we have just said, filed in the parlor before the police agents, and then they were ordered to get into the “robbers’ box.”  The stowage was apparently made at haphazard and promiscuously; nevertheless, later, by the difference of the treatment accorded to the Representatives in the various prisons, it was apparent that this promiscuous loading had perhaps been somewhat prearranged.  When the first vehicle was full, a second, of a similar construction drew up.  The police agents, pencil and pocket-book in hand, noted down the contents of each vehicle.  These men knew the Representatives.  When Marc Dufraisse, called in his turn, entered the parlor, he was accompanied by Benoist (du Rhone).  “Ah! here is Marc Dufraisse,” said the attendant who held the pencil.  When asked for his name, Benoist replied “Benoist.”  “Du Rhone,” added the police agent; and he continued, “for there are also Benoist d’Azy and Benoist-Champy.”

The loading of each vehicle occupied nearly half an hour.  The successive arrivals had raised the number of imprisoned Representatives to two hundred and thirty-two Their embarkation, or, to use the expression of M. de Vatimesnil, their “barrelling up,” which began a little after ten in the evening, was not finished until nearly seven o’clock in the morning.  When there were no more police-vans available omnibuses were brought in.  These various vehicles were portioned off into three detachments, each escorted by Lancers.  The first detachment left towards one o’clock in the morning, and was driven to Mont Valerien; the second towards five o’clock, and was driven to Mazas; the third towards half-past six, to Vincennes.

As this business occupied a long time, those who had not yet been called benefited by the mattresses and tried to sleep.  Thus, from time to time, silence reigned in the upper rooms.  In the midst of one of these pauses M. Bixio sat upright, and raising his voice, cried out, “Gentlemen, what do you think of ’passive obedience’?” An unanimous burst of laughter was the reply.  Again, during one of these pauses another voice exclaimed,—­